When Mal was a baby, we worked for a while on teaching him sign language. I used to say that if I could just get him to clap "yay", then I would be able to teach him a few key signs. That was my sign that he was understanding me and associated a movement with a word.
A mere few days ago, Tegan learned to clap "yay". She is chatting and signing like she has been at it for months. A few days after learning to clap, she is clapping on command (and grinning from ear to ear while doing it). She is also making the sign for ball, and actually saying the word ball while making the sign. She is also signing more, and saying "mmmmmm" while making the sign. She clearly has not figured out what "more" means yet, but she is using it in many different ways, watching out reaction to see if it is in the right context. She also says the sweetest mama and makes my heart melt. It makes me think she has so much more she want to say, if only she could figure out a way to get it out.
Malachy continues to try to teach her more and is equally encouraged by her progress. Every time either Tegan or Lailah make any sort of gesture that looks remotely meaningful, he asks if it means something. He is also learning a bunch of new signs to teach them.
Lailah is not signing yet...and I am not sure if she has any interest in doing so. She seems to prefer her current method of "communication" She has 3 "words"
1) Absolute elation - expressed by the biggest grin ever
2) excitement / frustration - expressed by a rapid pumping of both her arms and legs
3) all other words / emotions - a show stopping, ear splitting, glass shattering, high pitched piercing squeal. I think I can speak for everyone in this house (and probably most of our neighbors) when I say that we will all be happy when Lailah can express these emotions in actual words.
While I am so excited to be able to communicate with Tegan, I can only wonder if I will ever have a chatter free moment in my life again???
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